Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon and am in no way affiliated with the various parties who do.
Alex, May, and Max were sprinting up the skyscraper's main staircase, the flashlight's beam casting malevolent-looking shadows on the walls.
For Alex, it had been a simple matter to disable the building's electrical system, and by extension the security system, since it was computer monitored and connected to the very same network that he controlled. It was also a simple matter to permanently delete the Operation Kaio Blitzkrieg file from the main database, but not before he copied it and emailed it to himself, and then to the Pokemon Ranger HQ. But deleting the file from the backup database was not quite so easy.
The backup database was designed by Alex himself, with the greatest care given to security of the files contained within the database's memory. It was not connected to any network, nor did it possess any ability to do so, which rendered it impossible for any outsider to hack. The only entrance to the room containing the system was guarded at all times by at least six human and Pokemon guards, and none of them had access to the room. The only people who did have access were Alex and other trusted computer technicians.
However, none of these compared to the safeguards that Alex programmed into the system. He made it so that only files that were created on a computer owned by a Team Aqua member could be uploaded into the system, and even then, they were still subjected to rigorous software scans. And thanks to some special modification by Alex, it became impossible for the computer to delete the files it contained, and next to impossible for the files to be moved. But "next to impossible" is the key.
Every programmer leaves himself/herself a 'back door' into their own program, should they ever want to take advantage of their program for nefarious purposes. Alex is no exception. While it is impossible for files to be deleted from the database, if you know how to do it, it is possible for a file to be moved. Which is just what he did. Now, the Operation Kaio Blitzkrieg file was lying buried underneath a formidable mound of files that contained information about last year's weather patterns.
"How much farther?" panted Max.
"According to the blueprints, the prison level is five stories underground."Alex paused as he took a quick glance down the stairwell. "It shouldn't be much farther."
Sure enough, the beam of the flashlight illuminated the outline of a door a few moments later. Before he opened it, Alex spun around and spoke to May and Max.
"Okay, I used the excuse 'Archie wants to see you two' with the guards downstairs, and since they're supposed to have to more muscle than brains, it worked without a problem. But up here, it will be much more difficult because I won't be taking you anywhere near Archie's office, and people will start to get suspicious. If it comes to a fight, just stay back and let me handle it."
"No way!" protested May and Max simultaneously.
"We can't let you do this by yourself! This is our escape, too!" said May.
"Yeah! You're gonna need all the help you can get if you get into trouble, and our Pokemon can help!" added Max.
"Who said anything about using Pokemon?" replied Alex as he cautiously opened the door, leaving May and Max to follow in his wake, wondering what he meant.
Alex led May and Max over to one of the skyscraper's side entrances, but unlike he predicted, people didn't seem to get suspicious. This was probably attributed to the fact that it was near midnight, and thus many of the people who normally bustled about the hallways weren't present. Those who were present were running about in chaos, trying to find a light source in the darkened building. Alex had the sense to turn off his flashlight, and instead grabbed May and Max's wrists as he led them to one of the outside doors, relying on memory alone.
His memory served him well. They turned around a corner to find themselves in front of a transparent glass door that to the outside. But they weren't alone.
"HEY! What're you doin'?!" shouted a guard, who stood next to the door. "There is an emergency! Nobody goes in or out until-"
He never finished. Quick as a flash, Alex ran up to the guard and punched him in the gut, effectively winding him and causing him to fall back gasping for breath. Before the guard could recover, Alex spun him around and slammed his head into the wall, knocking him unconscious.
"What the… how did you…?" sputtered Max, shock evident on his face. May stayed silent, but it was clear she just as shocked as Max was.
"I'll explain later," said Alex, and without further ado, smashed his elbow into the glass door, shattering it. He walked through the now-empty door frame, leaving a stunned May and Max in his wake.
"Come on, come on! We don't have much time!" he said impatiently.
May and Max walked through the doorframe and stood next to him, more shocked than before.
Alex pulled a miniaturized Pokeball from his pocket, enlarged it, and tossed it into the air, releasing the Pokemon held inside.
"TROPIUS!" it bellowed into the night. May and Max flinched at the noise, but Alex stayed calm.
"Hey, Saur. Are you ready for a long flight?"
"TROP!" it roared in response.
"Okay then, let's climb aboard," he said as he gestured for May and Max to climb onto the Tropius's back.
Saur sailed silently through the night sky, being careful to cause his passengers and discomfort, one in particular.
"Alex, are you okay?" asked May concernedly. She was worried. Their rescuer hadn't talked since they had gotten into the air, and he kept his eyes locked straight ahead.
"Not really," replied Alex truthfully. "As we speak, we are probably being hunted by Team Aqua, and if not now, we will be in less than two days. And don't forget that I'm a wanted criminal. The police have been looking for me for years."
"What? You mean, back in the cell, you actually meant it?" asked Max, fear creeping into his voice.
This was not unnoticed by Alex. "Not that kind of criminal!" he said hastily. He wasn't sure if he should tell them about his criminal activities; they could go straight to the police at the next town they stopped at. But he had rescued them, so it's unlikely that they would turn him in.
"I'm not what you think of when hear 'Team Aqua'. I don't kidnap people, or steal, or kill people. I'm a computer hacker." He paused to let his words sink in. "I've hacked into many computers, and screwed up a lot of things. Remember that big scare a few years ago, when someone had hacked it the Pokemon League HQ's computers? That was me."
"That was you?" May repeated, disbelief clear on her face.
Max also had an expression of disbelief, but it was mixed with admiration. "No way! Those were some of the most secure computers in the world! When I heard about that, I pictured the hacker as being some dark, mysterious guy who spent all of his time in front of a giant computer screen. I didn't think it'd be someone who was as old as my sister! How do you know so much about computers?"
Unexpectedly, May and Max saw Alex's eyes start to water. "I'd rather not talk about it," he said as he turned his head away from them.
After a few moments of silence, Max piped up again. "So… where are we going, exactly?"
"Your home. Petalburg City. If the wind currents stay as they are, we should get there within three days," he answered, without turning around.
"We're going to see… mom and dad," said Max, stunned. Tears starting to well up in his eyes.
"Yes, Max… we're finally going to see them again," said May slowly as she pulled him into a hug, tears starting to flow from her eyes as well.
The sun just starting to creep up on the horizon when Saur landed in a clearing, in the middle of a dense forest.
"Where are we?" asked May as she jumped to the ground.
"We are about five miles south of Fortree City," replied Alex as he too disembarked. "Saur landed next to one of the many hideouts we created when used to wander through Hoenn."
"What do you mean by 'wander'?" asked Max as he stepped to the ground.
"Err… I'll answer that later," said Alex as he returned Saur his Poke Ball, and then began to led May and Max through the trees.
After walking for about five minutes, Alex finally found what he was looking for: a tree that had once stood proud upon an enormous boulder, its roots once wrapped around it like hair on a head. However, most of the boulder had crumbled away, yet the tree's roots maintained the shape of the once mighty rock, creating a hollow of sorts.
"Well, here we are," pronounced Alex as he led them inside the root-hollow. "There are some supplies that I left here, in case I had to make any future visits," he said as he turned on a dusty old lantern that was lying in the corner, filling the hollow with light.
Piled neatly off to the side were some worn blankets, and next to them were some neatly stacked cans of food. On the opposite side of the hollow, a shelf of sorts had been carved out, and on it were some eating utensils, a can opener, and a pack of matches. Alex grabbed the matches and stuck them in his pocket.
"I'm going to go start a fire so we can cook some food," he said as he walked out, giving May and Max no time to protest.
"You know, May, we could just ditch him right now. Fortree City is only five miles north. We hike there, go to the police station, and get back to mom and dad even faster," said Max, once he was sure that Alex was out of earshot.
"I don't think we should do that," she responded quietly.
"Why not? I know he rescued us, and we owe him our lives, but it's like we're HIS captives now. You saw what he did to that Team Aqua guard. Do you want him to do that to us?"
"I don't think he's that kind of person, Max. He just seems really lonely. It's like he never had any friends before…" she let her voice trail off as she let her eyes wander around the hollow.
"But we need to think for ourselves, too! What if he's just going to take us back to Team Aqua?"
May didn't answer. She picked up a dusty brown envelope that she spotted lying on the ground. It matched the color of the ground nearly perfectly; she had almost missed it. She opened it to reveal a single sheet of paper. Its left side was ragged and torn, as if it had been ripped out of a notebook.
Curiosity overcoming both of them, they both started to read it, with Max looking over May's shoulder.
Date: ?????
Location: About 5 miles south of Fortree City, give or take a mile or two.
I wish I could date this document, but I haven't looked at a single calendar since I've ran away from home, and I've lost track of the sunrises. I can only guess that I've been wandering Hoenn for about two years.
To all of my fellow travelers upon the roads of Hoenn: Should you find yourself in need of shelter and happen upon this place, feel free to borrow some of the supplies I have placed here in anticipation of my future visits. If you do take some of my supplies, please add some of your own to this store, and thus keep it stocked for other travelers.
Personal: I don't know when I will return, or even if I will return here at all. Morale among my Pokemon and I is low, and I don't know where we'll go from here. Possibly on to Lilycove City, perhaps? And after that? Who knows? Maybe I'll get lucky and find a kind family willing to adopt a poor, pathetic child. Or maybe I'm destined to be alone forever, uncared for and unloved…
-Alex Flare