Chapter 1
In the basement of Cortex Industries, which Rourke had commandeered into a makeshift Team Rocket headquarters, Megan, Frost, and Brett were trapped for almost five days, but Megan guessed it had been longer, and seeing how there was no clock in the closet, it might as well have been. Rourke, being a businessman, especially one as successful as he, more confused the three of them much more than he did intimidate, even though he did both quite successfully. There was no clear reason behind wanting to rule the world. He had money, he had good look. What more could he possibly want? Rourke seemed to think that all that was left, was a planet that belonged to him.
Frost, was not talking at all. He simply sat in the corner, facing the wall. When he had first met Rourke, something deep inside him, warned to not trust Rourke, but he didn't listen. Against his better judgement, he was fooled by Rourke's polished, professional, and to be quite honest, almost endearing giddiness. He was arrogant, to put it lightly, he was greedy, but from a businessman, what can you expect?
Megan and Brett could only watch, and wait patiently for Frost to nut up and help them escape. "Frost?" Megan sat down next to him. "Frost, you made a mistake. We all did, it's not your fault. Rourke betrayed us, for money and power, but you can't hold yourself responsible. We can't stay here," She tried to convince him, but he didn't listen. He didn't even turn to look at them, he didn't want to see them, after all, it was he, who dragged them along this dangerous quest.
As for Cyndaquil, and Clefairy, and the others, their fate was uncertain. Who knows what Rourke and his scientist goons were doing to them? Perhaps, they have already been taken care of. After all the dangers they have shared, from the long trails through the mountains, to being ambushed by mutant Ariados, now, Clefairy and Cyndaquil's fate lie within the hands of an egocentric tycoon, who would do anything to have a world that bowed down to him. By this point, even Megan and Brett were considering calling it quits. Rourke after all, was too fast and too smart for them. Frost had already done so, and he sat there, facing the blank wall. Looking at the faded paint, which had not been given a fresh coat of paint for some time. There were stains of dirt and other unidentifiable things included, but not limited to mold and most likely some sort of bacteria
Megan was still peering out the single, dirty window, as several goons continued to ship large crates into trucks for shipment. "Come along!" One shouted. "The Boss wants us to get this stuff to Kanto by morning!" There was no way of telling what the contents of these crates were, but anybody's educated guess would be weapons, or perhaps sleeping Pokémon. With Santem practically under Rourke's control, Kanto, being the closest region, would be an obvious move.
Another day went by, and all hope it would seem, was lost. Megan was the last of the three, that still had hope. She knew there was still a chance to escape and end this wretched organization, once and for all. Finally, she decided that enough was enough. She lost all control of her emotions, stood right up, and grabbed Frost by his robes, and yanked him up. "Listen here!" She shouted. "Every minute we waste in this dungeon, is one more minute closer to success that Rourke comes!"
"Megan, we have lost. Why can't you just…" Frost sighed.
"Because! Because we came so far. Cyndaquil, and Clefairy, and countless other Pokémon are out there right now, in grave danger. You wanted to be a Pokémon Master? Well a Pokémon Master would never surrender to the likes of Rourke!" Megan let Frost go, and sat back down. Frost could only stand there, shocked. Still, she was right. Rourke cannot be allowed to roam free.
"Megan, I'm sorry. I've been afraid. I made a mistake. So I am going to make up for it. We all are. For today, in the name of Pokémon, and in the name of freedom. Today, the fight will be ours!" Frost declared. Megan and Brett stood up, smiling. "There's only one problem," Frost noted. "There's no way out," Brett smiled, and Frost looked at him puzzled.
"There is one way…" He pointed up at the ceiling which featured a ventilation shaft, just out of their reach, of course. Megan, being the tallest of the trio, lifted Brett upon her shoulders, as he tried to open the vent. Megan nearly lost balance with his jerking motions. Before she fell over, he opened it, and climbed in, pulling Megan and Frost up soon after. They slithered though the winding shafts, which much to their dismay were probably even dustier and more repulsive than the room they were kept in, until they came upon a room of significant interest. Several scientists, were experimenting on Pokémon, there were almost three dozen tied down. Megan could see that one of them, was Clefairy.
Among the others in the room, was Rourke, who was overseeing preparations of his army. One of the scientists pulled up a captured Exploud, who was tied down to a stretcher. Rourke looked down upon it in triumph, with a wicked grin spread across his face. "I look forward to owning you, my insignificant servant," He chuckled. "Begin transfusion!" He ordered. One of the scientists handed him a rock, similar to the one Frost had given to him. Upon grabbing a blade and cutting Exploud's arm, Rourke pressed the rock against the wound, and the blood spread across the stone, but nothing happened. So, much to Rourke's frustration, and maybe even perhaps a little hesitation, he pulled out his gun, and shot the Exploud dead.
Frost had to struggle to keep Megan from screaming and giving away their position. "I don't understand," Rourke groaned. "Why will the stone not work?! Gengar, Altaria, Mawile, Medicham, all changed. Why won't these?!" He flipped over the corpse in rage, and shot at the wall. "What are we doing wrong? Why can't I have, what I want to have, the way I want to have it?!" He looked around, waiting for an answer.
"Sir," One scientist stepped forward. "May I suggest you look at the data? We don't have enough information to reach a…" Rourke shot the man dead before he could finish.
"All I want is a world that belongs to me. My daughter, my thirty ex-wives, all doubt I can win, but I can. I formed this organization with a dream, of making the world a better place, for me. I owe it to my family and my servants to make sure I get what I want. Now, bring the next patient," He ordered.
Up next, was Megan's Clefairy, who was struggling to break free. "Ah, I remember you," Rourke smiled. "I know you wouldn't dream of letting me down, would you?" Clefairy squirmed, trying to break free, but Rourke only laughed. "You are almost as pathetic as the trainer who raised you," He sneered. Clefairy tried even harder to escape, but her small arms were tied down tight by leather straps. Escape for her, was futile.
"This is a new age, my incompetent minion," Rourke chuckled. "You are the stepping stones to accomplishing what began eons ago, the Kentijirian's, may not have ever even dreamed of something like this. Though without them, none of this would be possible,"
"Frost," Brett whispered. "What are the Kentijirian's? Are they anywhere in your Monk culture?"
"No," Frost whispered, watching and waiting to see what would happen. "No, they are not,"
Rourke grabbed his knife, and cut Clefairy's arm. As blood dripped from her wound, all Clefairy could do was whimper and shake in fear. Though her pain and terror would be short lived. Rourke picked up the stone, and pressed it against the wound. Megan, who had loved Clefairy for years, and had grown to be the absolute best of friends, could only let out a scream of unfathomable terror and fury, as a gunshot filled the silence. Everyone in the room quickly responded, and went after them. The three children had to move quickly to avoid being shot themselves.
"There is nothing more that can be done!" Rourke cried out. "Over see preparations, we will move my troops to our Kanto base," He scrambled his workers. "The Zetigrah had better be right about all of this," He groaned. "I have put too much time and effort into his plans to fail now,"
"Sir, what do you want us to do about the kids?" A soldier asked. Rourke pondered for a moment, thinking about how much publicity he could swindle if he murdered children. Never before, had he thought he would ever be in a position where this was an option, so he figured it would be best to take advantage of it. "If you find them, shoot them down!" He ordered. By that time, our three heroes were long gone. They were out of the room and trying to navigate the shafts.
Not wanting to get lost, they picked a large room to get into. They drooped sown onto a large table beneath them, which was positively stacked with boxes, no doubt weapons to use in his war. Megan could see into one of the open crates, and it was filled with junk. The crate she saw in particular was filled with elixirs, some Sun Stones, and Frost, upon further inspection, found a Razor Claw for Sneasel. He took it, not needing to ask, after all, he got Rourke his rock, it was sensible to think of it as a fair trade.
On the other side of the storage room, Brett could see through a window, to some strange looking creatures. Given a closer look, they could see that they were Pokémon who must have been successfully mutated. Megan could see a Gengar, which must have just began to change, its arms were beginning to bulge, and a bright red color spread across the underside. Along the walls were different kinds of balls. Basic Pokéball's, Great Balls, Ultra Balls, Dusk Balls, and an assortment of others.
"These must contain the Pokémon that Rourke managed to change," Megan whimpered. "We have to save them, and all the others before Team Rocket uses them. None of this is natural, none of it,"
Frost began to think of a plan. There was no sense in rescuing the Pokémon, at least not yet. That task would be difficult enough with three kids. An entire legion of Rourke's troops were looking for them now, and that kind of brainless attack would only result in their deaths. However, Rourke seemed very confident in his army. "Brett, Megan, we need to grab as many of these as we can," Frost began stuffing Pokéball's in every possible place they could fit. He kept one out, and opened it, revealing a Gastly, which was perfect.
"Listen," Frost begged. Gastly was quite afraid, having likely realized what was happening to its friends. "I need you, to go to the gym. It is just a block or two away, and find Brandon. Tell him, we are at Cortex Industries. Can you do that?" He asked. Gastly was hesitant at first, but then plucked up enough courage to zip up into the air, and through the walls to the outside. "Guys, keep taking them. We need as many as we can get our hands on," Frost encouraged them.
"What good will that do?" Megan scorned. "That will get us killed. Clefairy, and all of those poor Pokémon have already been killed. I for one, have no intention of joining them," Frost could see she was doing her best to hold back tears.
"Well that is why we are taking these," He told her as he stuffed a Lure Ball into his pants. "Rourke is very confident in these Pokémon. He will use them to gain control over the entire planet. So, I find it fitting, that before he does so, we do him a favor of testing them. To make sure they don't have any problems so to speak," Brett got the idea and piled a handful of Ultra Balls into his backpack.
"Frost, this is too dangerous," Megan sighed. "I have no intention of dying, and what happened to Clefairy was- "
"What happened to Clefairy sucks. It's awful, okay? We know Megan, we know. However, not doing anything is not the way to avenge her. If we stay here, they will kill us. We are all that stands between Rourke and the world. His armies of darkness will obliterate anybody who challenges him. We can't stop now, so come on," Frost encouraged her, and handed her a Nest Ball. "We can only stop him by working together,"
Megan hesitated for a moment, but then took the ball. "Let's give that pompous ass what he deserves," She smiled, and to be honest, it was even more sinister than Rourke's, Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn after all. After nearly a half hour, they nearly cleared out Rourke's storage.
Now, Rourke at this time, was upstairs in the lobby, continuing his charade as a good, and decent human being. He was being interviewed by the Jeneville Television Company, which Rourke owned by the way. Leave it to Rourke to hire somebody to interview him. They had just gotten word about a bit of property he was opening up in Jeneville, and he had scheduled them to give him an interview.
"Hello, I am Danielle Chuchevski, here with Mister Rourke Benson, president of KevaCorp and perhaps the richest man in the history of the cosmos, let me begin by- "
"Excuse me," Rourke interrupted. "I couldn't help but notice that you said 'perhaps'. I know for a fact that it does not say perhaps' on the script I sent you for this interview," He gave her that classic condescending Rourke smile, and brushed his graying hair back.
Danielle looked at him with an irritated sneer. "Undeniably, unquestionably, the richest man that ever existed, or will exist," She corrected herself. Rourke smiled gleefully, but gave the camera crew a stern frown when they chuckled. "Now, tell us sir- "
"Tell us, 'Exalted One, '" Rourke corrected her, much to her disdain.
"Tell us, oh Exalted One, you have just opened up your third restaurant in Jeneville last week, what can people expect from this?"
Rourke chuckled at her ignorance. "Well, actually, this would be my sixth restaurant in Jeneville, and my sixty-fifth over all across the globe. Now of course anybody stupid enough to not buy my products are missing out. For example, I recently sent the restaurant my latest wine, lovely crisp taste, and very fruitful, and only three thousand dollars a glass!"
"Three thousand dollars? Don't you think that's a bit much?" She asked. Rourke broke out into laughter.
"No, of course not!" He almost fell over. "My prices are always fair and just. Poor people don't drink wine anyway. I think they live off of sewer water. Those without money have no business being near anything owned by me. Besides, I own the best, so I have to charge a lot for something in high demand. I remember a few weeks ago I was in Sinnoh buying property on Lake Acuity, (which is currently being turned into one of the most luxurious spa resorts in the entire region by the way), when I found a small, little Dustox."
"A Dustox?" She asked. At this point Danielle had no idea what Rourke was talking about, nor if he even had a point to make. So she did what, frankly anybody who talked to Rourke did, she just nodded and smiled.
"Yes, a Dustox. I saw it there on the branch of a tree on that fine summer evening, and it got me thinking about myself. I thought, and I thought, and I thought some more, until it hit me. I said to myself that day, 'I am going to open another restaurant in Jeneville!'" He proclaimed. Danielle just stood there in bewilderment, having heard what could easily be the most pointless and irrelevant information she had heard in her entire life, and as a news reporter, that is truly saying something.
"I'm sorry, but, what does that have to do with your restaurant?" Danielle asked. Rourke looked at her, with a sort of look that one makes, when a question that shouldn't even be a point of discussion, is asked.
"I will have you know, that- and I hope you enjoy the unemployment line after this, by the way. I'll have you know, that it's a clever and subtle message to the kids, that my genius can be found anywhere, and at any time," Rourke, at this point, was not just arrogant, Danielle began to wonder if he was delusional.
"Well, we are almost out of time. I guess we have time for one more question. So far, in your career, you have made a name and an image of yourself across the globe. Well, now that you have officially become better than Jesus, what's next on your agenda?" Rourke said nothing, but he smiled his classic sinister grin.
"Oh, I think that you will absolutely love what I plan to do next. An entire century of greatness is on its way, thanks to me," He smiled. "Now, if you may excuse me, I must go attend to my business elsewhere. I have a lot of things to do yet,"
Rourke left the reporters there to continue his business. He had to get his armies to his Kanto base in Celadon City right away. He, as brave and as confident as he was, had no intention of doing anything that could potentially displease the Zetigrah. For he and all of his employees that knew of his true intentions, also knew that the Zetigrah was not someone they wanted as their enemy. An enemy, as ancient as ancient can be, and more powerful than Arceus itself.
Frost, Megan, and Brett in the meantime, were trying to get to a good spot to start their revolt. Inside Cortex, they had the odds stacked against them, unless of course Brandon was on his way with the police. For now, they had only themselves, and an army of Pokémon. "So here's the plan," Frost whispered, he ducked behind an open door as two guards patrolling the halls walked by. Megan and Brett took cover underneath a table. "First we need to rescue our Pokémon. After that, we attack."
Quickly, as the guards turned around the corner, the three of them rushed down the hall and scurried up the stairs. Megan poked her head up to see all there was to be seen. On this floor, the fourth floor that is, were almost a hundred Team Rocket goons packing up equipment. To think this place was at one point in time a respectable car dealership, was almost nostalgic for those that lived in this area. Megan ducked back down before she could be seen. "There's at least a hundred soldiers up there," She told them. "How on earth do you suggest we sneak past them?" Brett thought for a moment, and could not come up with anything.
Frost looked around, and almost fell over when the three of them realized there was an elevator on the floor. Quietly as they could they got in and took off. Just in time too, for as the door closed a dozen guards came around. "Now, Megan, do you have any idea, where the others could be? I found a storage room of them a good long while ago, but there must be dozens of places to store them. He is breeding an army after all," Frost asked her.
"I remember I was taken to the top floor, where I was kept. I haven't any idea where Cyndaquil, or Ralts, or any of them would be," She looked in several doors, and they were all empty. So they moved on to the next floor, and the floor after that. There was no sign of them anywhere, and Rourke must have moved them from the basement by now, they could be anywhere. "Maybe," Megan began to think, "I wonder if he could have taken them to the docking rooms by now. You know, where they send things that are getting shipped,"
With no time to lose, and no better ideas to act upon, they ran straight for the garages. Megan and Frost were heading towards the stairs before Brett grabbed them both. "Listen, I think it would be wiser to conceal our location in the vents, at least until we have what we need," He was right of course, so they snuck into the vent. "Now, the garages should be back behind the complex. I think it's this way," He led them through the winding shafts, passing over room after room of horrible sights to see. One room, had been filled with bags. These bags contained the bodies of failed experiments.
Eventually, the three of them arrived at what looked like a docking bay. Brett guessed this is where they shipped equipment to other regions. Who knows how long Team Rockets been sending troops and equipment to those unsuspecting lands. That could all change, if they could only locate their Pokémon. Team Rockets tyrannical rule could be stopped before it even began. However, there was no sign of any of them, Not Cyndaquil, not Skiploom, not Linoone, they were all missing.
"Looks like these Pokémon are the last of them for today," A grunt chuckled to his partner as the two of them threw a bag into the back of a truck. "Those three brats proved to be useful to the boss after all. Pity they aren't around to enjoy Rourke's glorious future," He laughed.
"As soon as they're found, those three are as good as dead," The other laughed. She slammed the truck shut. "Let's go get our orders. Rourke is going to want us to find that Megan and Brett. Frost, he seemed a bit more hesitant to order a kill. Maybe Frost reminds him of himself," She shrugged. Frost almost gagged. What on Earth could he and Rourke possibly have in common? He put it out of his mind, and they waited until the two of them had left.
As soon as the coast was clear, they rushed to the car and recovered their stolen Pokémon. Frost and Cyndaquil were reunited, as were Brett and Skiploom. Megan smiled, wiping the tears from her eyes. Whether they were tears of joy or sadness were unclear, though Frost and Brett suspected it was the latter, for Megan did not say anything to them. "Cyndaquil," Frost hugged him tight. "I promise I won't let anything bad happen to you ever again," He promised. Cyndaquil smiled, and then nuzzled his cheek.
Brett handed Megan her Pokéball's, and she was resisting. "Megan," Brett whispered. "This is our chance. We have to fight, if we don't, a whole lot more than a few Pokémon are going to be at risk. Please, just trust me," He smiled. Megan thought for a moment, and before long, she made up her mind, on more than just the decision to fight, mind you.
"Okay, this is it. We have let these terrorists reign for far too long," Frost sternly voiced, Brett and Megan knew what was going to happen next. All three of them knew it had to happen. "Brandon, with any luck, is on the way with Officer Jenny, and perhaps the entire police force. If they don't listen to an honorable Gym Leader, then they won't listen to anybody at all. In fact, Gastly had indeed found Brandon, and after letting the Gastly go free, Brandon ran straight towards the Police Station. Almost as soon as he heard what happened he was in the station, trying to convince Jenny to accept what was going on. She and her fellow officers still refused to listen.
"Officer, you must look past all of that and listen. Those kids are in danger," He pleaded. Officer Jenny was, at this point, fed up with stories. "If we don't help them, they'll die,"
"I have had enough of this nonsense," Jenny grunted. "You and those kids, are causing nothing but trouble. I suppose you don't have any proof of this Team Rockets existence?" She asked.
Brandon sighed. "I have none," Officer Jenny chuckled.
"Because there is none," She insisted. "So unless you want to be taken in, rest assured such an event will lead to a court trial, and the revoking of your gym license, I suggest you keep your mouth shut, and go away," She turned around in her chair, and proceeded to do what she was doing, which happened to be a missing Pokémon case.
"Before I go," Brandon thought, as he opened to door. "Come at least search. If I'm right, you could be a hero, if I'm wrong, I'll tear up my license now," He bargained, not really having much of a choice. Jenny had to admit, she would like to see that.
"Fine, I'll go," She reluctantly agreed. "Say goodbye to your gym," She laughed, several officers joined her. Brandon, Jenny, and six or seven other officers, headed over to Cortex Industries on the other side of town. Brandon, while wanting to keep his license, prayed they would make it in time, for Rourke and his crew were pulling out and leaving that very moment, Rourke's plan for global conquest were knocking at his front door. Some people, myself included, stand firm in believing that if the Zetigrah had not come across Rourke, and exposed these secrets to him, he may not have even bothered.
Though, by chance, he did, and the two quickly utilized this ancient power to their advantage. Rourke of course, had no real loyalties to the Zetigrah, and simply befriended him for the soul purpose of furthering his own goals. Had the Zetigrah realized he was being used, perhaps he may have thought differently about revealing his secrets. At any rate, I was almost over and done with. Rourke figured by this time tomorrow, the planet would belong to him.
"Now, we're all agreed?" Frost asked. The three of them had been busy discussing their plan of attack. "After we finish up, we have to make sure, that these secrets get exposed. Let's finish this once and for all. Team Rockets reign of terror ends today!"